1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to fastener-nut covers with extensions that are referred to as thimbles which provide structural support and which protect internal threading of the fastener nuts against entry of fluid concrete that is poured to position sluice-gate walls.
2. Relation to prior art.
Attachment of metal walls of sluice gates to concrete ends of pipes and other conveyances of fluid to and from containers and reservoirs for achieving adequate structural integrity, reliability and endurance of sluice-gating has long been a problem. A major aspect of the problem is preventing entry of fluid concrete into fastener nuts that are affixed to sluice-gate walls before they are cemented into position. There are known thimbles made of cast iron for covering affixed gate-wall fastener nuts, but they do not provide structural support and do not protect adequately against encroachment of fluid concrete onto fastener threading.
In light of problems that have continued to exist in this field, objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide a sluice-gate wall thimble which:
prevents encroachment of fluid cement onto threads of affixed sluice-gate fasteners during cementing construction;
provides structural integrity, reliability and endurance of sluice-gate structure;
is adaptable to a wide selection of sluice-gate structures;
is inexpensive to produce; and
is convenient and inexpensive to use.
This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with a sluice-gate wall thimble having a support stem which covers an embedment side of a wall-fastener nut and is fixable to a wall anchor. The wall-fastener nut is inside-threaded and fixable to an embedment side of a predetermined sluice-gate wall with an axis of the wall-fastener nut being in line concentrically with an axis of a wall-bolt aperture on the predetermined sluice-gate wall.
A plurality of the support stems on a plurality of the wall-fastener nuts in line with a plurality of the wall-bolt apertures and fixed to at least one wall anchor are employed first to prevent encroachment of fluid concrete or other foundation material onto inside threading of the plurality of wall-fastener nuts during construction of a predetermined sluice gate. Then after construction of the predetermined sluice gate, the plurality of support stems are employed to anchor the predetermined sluice-gate wall to the concrete or other foundation material throughout a long and reliable life of sluice-gate-wall attachment to the wall-fastener nuts.